1997 Map of Chalk Bluffs West

About this map

Chalk Bluffs and Simpson Mesa define this high plains landscape in northern Colorado, captured here during the late 1990s. This land-use study, revised by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, highlights the essential infrastructure of arid rangelands. The southern portion of the sheet is dominated by the Pawnee National Grassland, where a network of water sources supports the livestock economy. The map documents numerous named water points including the North Owl Windmill, East Simpson Well, and the Mc Cormick Windmill. These features, along with several tanks and pipelines, illustrate the human adaptation to the dry environment of Weld County. Drainages like Simpson Creek and Geary Creek cut through the mesa and bluff formations, while the presence of the Eagle Windmill and Prange Windmill suggests a long history of localized ranching and family-named landmarks.